How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph.Sentence), not including audience responses.
Quote #1
Now what does all this mean in this great period of history? It means that we've got to stay together. We've got to stay together and maintain unity. You know, whenever Pharaoh wanted to prolong the period of slavery in Egypt, he had a favorite, favorite formula of doing it. What was that? He kept the slaves fighting among themselves. But whenever the slaves get together, something happens in Pharaoh's court, and he cannot hold the slaves in slavery. When the slaves get together, that's the beginning of getting out of slavery. Now let us maintain unity. (14.1–9)
You've probably heard the phrase "divide and conquer," perhaps with reference to consuming an entire pizza. You've probably heard this one, too: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Or this one: "United we stand, divided we fall." That's King's message here.
Quote #2
Now not only that, we've got to strengthen black institutions. I call upon you to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank. We want a "bank-in" movement in Memphis. […] You have six or seven black insurance companies here in the city of Memphis. Take out your insurance there. We want to have an "insurance-in." Now these are some practical things that we can do. We begin the process of building a greater economic base, and at the same time, we are putting pressure where it really hurts. And I ask you to follow through here. (25.1–3, 8–13)
This passage highlights the tensions inherent in group identity: on the one hand, people who face more or less the same issues will sympathize with one another to some degree. On the other hand, people are individuals, and different people respond to situations differently. But unless enough people stand together, individual actions won't accomplish much.
Some Black Memphians had clearly opted to put their money in white-owned banks and buy insurance from white-owned companies. MLK asks them to change their habits for the sake of the greater good.
Quote #3
You may not be on strike, but either we go up together or we go down together. Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness. (26.7–8)
The sanitation workers have already been on strike for months, and nothing has changed. They need more leverage, says Dr. K: they need their allies to put themselves on the line. But what if no one helps the sanitation workers? Will other people really "go down" with them? What is "dangerous unselfishness," and to whom is it dangerous?